Gap In Resume

Moved to the USA from Canada. Owned and operated an Auto Glass Shop since 2001. My company is now just a landlord as I lease my building out to a new operator. I took a job as a Director at the Franchisor in the Auto Glass industry 2015-2016 then quit and decided to travel and get certified as a yacht captain and scuba instructor. This training and travel was between 2016 and 2017. I married an American in 2017 and I strutted SCUBA a bit in 2017. I drove a bit for Postmates and Amazon Flex in 2017 bit not enough to get a 1099 from them. In 2018 I drove for Lyft some and again not enough for a 1099 to prove it. In 2018 my wife and I decided to sell our home and travel full time with a 40’ 5wheel pulled by Ford F-350. Went all over Canada and eastern USA for about six months. Decided to move to Boise area and I started being an Insurance agent. That sucked so we started a hotdog cart business. Winter came and decided to look for seasonal job. Got one at UPS which ended Jan 2020. Then started at an Auto Glass Shop and was just laid off due to this Covid-19 virus. I want to get into trucking as I loved the driving and miss it. Recruiters are telling me I can’t have gaps in my Resume. How would you handle this?

Use this link to Apply For Paid CDL Training . You do have some gaps in your work history and will be told no by many but it only takes 1 yes. They are required by law to know your where abouts to make sure you weren't overseas training with a terror group, planning to use the truck as a 80,000 pound weapon. It's nothing against you but that's the reasoning. It also helps demonstrate you're disciplined enough to stick with a job when the going gets tough. You will want to quit numerous times your first year. Have you tried calling the recruiter? They may be more willing to listen if its over the phone.

Have you tried writing, "looking for work" on the application gaps?

OK, guys, I know there's no answer as concrete as one I receive from the primary source - any potential employer - but since I won't be making recruiter inquiries until approx a 30 day window ahead of commitment time, I'd like to query your collective wisdom regarding "resume gaps": I took early retirement from teaching which includes a pension income, if this renders legitimacy.

How is "retirement" viewed? I've accomplished objectives during this time including family visits, dealing with a deceased parent's estate, a bunch of volunteer commitments, developing new skills which can be documented. Any of those - excepting the length of family time overseas - might have been accomplished while I was employed but there was never time enough. What else is retirement for?

I get it about evidencing that one hasn't been delinquent. Are there trucking entities that look on this as equivalent or an acceptable alternative to paid employment?

Teaching was a second career that spanned a decade. I don't know how far back an employer might search but there's more before that to demonstrate reliability, etc.

Okay, for anybody dealing with employment gaps here's what works with most recruiters, but not all of them. Make a time-line. Fill in the gaps with what you were actually doing. It can be things like...

Taking Care of a Loved One

Sailing The Caribbean Islands

Retired

Burning Through My Meager Inheritance

It really isn't that important what you were doing, but they need proof, or documentation, as evidence that you really were doing what you claim. Voids or gaps, with no explanatory proof, mean they can't provide the proof they are required to have available to the FMCSA should they get audited.

You can use tax returns or pay stubs. You can use notarized letters from friends who can verify that you were doing as you say.

I was self employed for years. I was retired for a year or more before deciding to drive a truck. I had to provide 10 years of tax returns for anyone to consider me.

It can be done. The main thing they need is a clean time line with no gaps that aren't explained with verifiable witnesses and contact numbers.